The Best Present (An ACOTAR fanfiction)

Chapter 13

I screamed in rage. Rhys read the note and roared. I screamed and cried until my throat was hoarse. The Inner Circle ran toward us. I lost track of who read the note. Mor, Rhys, Lucien, and I took two people and winnowed them to the townhouse. Then Lucien came back to get Amren and Varian. We all suited up and armed ourselves, even Raelia and Karshia, even though they didn't know how to fight. We winnowed to the edge of the Court of Nightmares, Lucien once again going back to get the last two. We stood in an arrow-like formation. Rhys and I stood in the front, and on either side slightly behind us, stood Cassian and Azriel. Behind them, stood Nesta and Elain. Then Amren and Varian. Then Raelia and Lucien, and finally Mor and Karshia. We stalked into the throne room. Males and females scattered at the sight of us, cowering near the walls. Keir stood in the middle, a wicked grin on his face.

"Where are our children?" I shrieked, not even giving him a chance to speak, choking him without even moving my arms. He clawed at his throat, evil grin wiped off his face. Rhys searched his mind for our children.

"Mor, room on the left," he called out, nostrils flaring as he turned back to Keir. Mor, Karshia, Raelia, and Lucien stalked to the door, hidden by an arch. Four guards stood in defensive positions at the door. Mor and Karshia took the ones on the left, and Lucien and Raelia took the ones on the right. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mor spin around, her sword creating a gash in his throat. He fell, clutching his throat and unable to scream. Karshia dodged the second guard's sword, then locked her dagger with his sword, twisting her hand so his sword went flying. She ducked under his punch, and used her dagger to create a slash on both his legs. The second guard went down. At the same time, Lucien punched the third guard in the face, then disarmed the guard and jerked his sword upwards, going through the guard's armor and creating a slash across his body. Raelia had brought an iron staff. I wasn't sure how anyone could fight with that, but after seeing her fight, I knew that the staff was her weapon. She blocked the fourth guard's upward attack, shoving the staff upward so that his sword flung over his shoulder. Apparently this guard was really stupid, because he turned around to retrieve his weapon. Raelia used the end of her staff to hit the guard on his back knocking him to the ground. She hit his face, knocking him unconscious. Lucien kicked the door open, and I heard my children crying. But I knew in my heart that they were okay. I didn't know how, but I knew they were okay. Keir hadn't harmed them. Karshia poked her head out the door and nodded, and I knew they were going to winnow my children back home. I gave her a slight nod, and I felt my children return back home.

I choked Keir until he was about to die. Then I let him go. He dropped to the ground, retching to get air in his lungs. After he got his air back he spoke.

"So I'll get rights to all of Velaris now?" He asked. I laughed because idea was so absurd.

"No," Rhysand growled. "Every right you had before is hereby removed. You cannot enter Velaris ever again."

"You actually thought we would give you rights?" I asked. "You really are a stupid bitch."

"Who else helped you? No one here can create that black mist," Rhys continued. Keir shook his head, not giving up any details. Rhys nodded at me. I entered his mind, and found the names of five Darkbringers who helped him. I looked to see who created the mist and gasped.

"You're evil," I breathed. "How could you do that?" I addressed the entire room.

"This evil male who you obey, threatened a small boy to create a black mist, otherwise he would die. He abused this boy's powers, and scared him out of his mind. On top of that, this boy is an orphan." The crowd gasped in horror, and started murmuring amongst themselves. I was shocked. It was the exact boy I saw before the black mist appeared. I turned to Rhys. Rhys clenched his fist, and Keir started screaming. Both his arms were being crushed into nothing.

"Keir, you are removed from authority at the Court of Nightmares for multiple charges. For kidnapping your High Lord and High Lady's children, for threatening a small boy, and for many past disrespectful words to both me and the High Lady. Does anyone here disagree with this?" Rhys spoke in an angry, authoritative voice. No one objected. "As further punishment, I am removing your ability to feel anything but regret, pain, sadness. The only thing you will remember is every evil thing you have done to earn you this punishment." Rhys and I entered his mind together. He removed all memories besides the bad ones, and I removed all the emotions besides the ones Rhys said. Once we were both done, one of the servants dragged Keir away. I turned to Az, Cass, Nesta, Elain, Amren, and Varian.

"I need you to find these five Darkbringers," I said, and repeating their names. They nodded and left. Rhys turned back to the crowd. We knew for a fact that no one had liked Keir.

"With the authoritative position open, I will be hosting interviews for those who wish to be head of the Night Court while I'm away. I want someone who wants to make the Court of Nightmares a better place. Someone who has good intentions, not someone like Keir. These interviews will be in a week. Those who would like this position, please prepare, and we will be back in a week to hear you out. I will choose a few candidates, and the rest of you will make the final vote," Rhys said. I couldn't agree with him more. It was a great idea. Just then the others came back, the five Darkbringers in toe. We searched through their memories, and found that Keir had forced these soldiers into doing his bidding, just like the little boy. We wiped their memory of that event, implanted the memory of Keir being removed from power, and the fact that the position is now open. The rest of the Inner Court came back into formation, and we marched our of the throne room, not looking back. Once we were outside, Rhys and I winnowed Nesta, Elain, Cassian, and Azriel, then came back for Amren and Varian. Rhys and I ran to our children. We picked them up and rocked them back and forth. I started crying, so glad that my beautiful, precious children were safe. Rhys was crying too. I couldn't believe that in their second month of being in this world, they had already been kidnapped. I turned to my family, wiping my face.

"Thank you," I said softly. Everyone nodded, and then left us alone with our children.

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